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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · vault · bowl · safe · fall · calf · march · present

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. march — the month
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fall — the season
  6. march — music
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. wound — an injury
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. present — there
  19. march — the month
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. wound — an injury
  22. vault — a safe
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com